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Yoshimuriko
Yoshimuriko was a general working for Mae Torazo until he killed her and assumed leadership of the Rebels during the Libaterran Civil War. He also became the High Cleric of Nergal after defeating the previous holder of the title, Fastholf d'Armagnac. His brutal tactics were successful and he eventually took over the Libaterran capital of Lutherin and many other cities held by the Locken Loyalists. Countess Endoran L'Sarius loved him deeply, but Yoshimuriko never quite returned those feelings, which made Endoran bitter although she remained at his side. He disappeared some time between the Yamatian Invasion and the Great War when his followers were betrayed by the Clergy of Mardük, but he resurfaced during Glaurung Losstarot's rise to power and fought for the Crimson Coalition in the Second Great War. Yoshimuriko perished in a duel against Azazel during the Battle of Alent. Biography Early Years Yoshimuriko's past as a skilled warrior was known to all in Libaterra although some of it was shrouded by tall tales which blurred the truth. He had become something of a legend amongst the people who told tales of him. He earned the nickname 'Red Dragon' due to his strength and ferocity as well as his Innate Ability to manipulate flames like a dragon would. Details for why Yoshimuriko resented King Samiel Locken so much remained shrouded in mystery and hearsay, and Yoshimuriko himself did not wish to elaborate further on the subject. Everyone knew better than to challenge him for the truth but what was known was that he had once been fighting alongside the King's uncle, Duke Ferdinand Locken, and been responsible for exterminating many of the Itica with the knowledge the Duke's troops had gained from the Itica traitor Misao Otomo. Rose of the Desert During the events of the Rose of the Desert, Yoshimuriko was often seen conferring with Duke Ferdinand whose militant views he agreed with. While in Reign, he learned of the tumultous events which culminated in a great Sarquil unrest in the Tronin Desert that had been caused by the Clergy of Nergal as well as Duke Ferdinand's ambitions. After the demises of the Duke as well as the King and the Locken Loyalists deciding to strengthen their grip over the gradually dividing country, Yoshimuriko found himself an unwelcome sight among the more traditionalist Loyalists who viewed him, a man with foreign blood in his veins, as a potential threat. He left Reign and headed west beyond the Blood Border where he hoped to begin a new life away from courtly intrigue and to get back at the Loyalists and Lockens who he believed had slighted him. Distreyd Era Joining the Rebels Yoshimuriko found like-minded individuals in Trinity Gask who had begun calling themselves the Rebels and who essentially created an autonomous region west of the Blood Border as they had come to view the Locken Dynasty as corrupt and not worth serving anymore. He joined the side of the charismatic Rebel leader Mae Torazo after feeling that Mae's approach to effectively form another kingdom beyond the House of Locken's control would be a goal the oppressed, the poor and other races of Libaterra could strive towards. During his stay in the Rebel capital of Trinity Gask, Yoshimuriko earned the admiration, envy and hatred of people. Many viewed him as a hero of the people, others viewed him as an opportunist who just wanted an excuse to have his revenge on the House of Locken by plunging the kingdom into a civil war where he could spread his fame as a great warrior. He also became the object of affections of Countess Endoran L'Sarius and although he respected her, he was too focused on his revenge and the overall campaign that he didn't quite return those feelings much to Endoran's disappointment. A Game of Thrones As years passed, Yoshimuriko became more cynical, and started viewing Mae as no better than the Blue Bloods she had once taken a stand against after Mae refused to take decisive action against the Loyalists despite the Rebel army having grown twice in size by 1000 AE. Although he preferred to stay a general and not become an overall leader of the Rebels, he understood that as the Rebels' strength was growing and the Loyalists were growing more anxious and divided, it was time to strike before the Loyalists would panic and strike first. To achieve this end, he secretly began spreading rumours of a war that was about to come among the Rebels, rallying troops behind him. Yoshimuriko came to believe that Mae, who preferred a more diplomatic means of expanding the Rebels' influence, had become ill fit for the war that he saw coming, a view he embraced more readily when Mae openly shot his suggestion to prepare for war down in a council meeting in Trinity Gask once she had learned of his double dealings behind her back. Yoshimuriko, angered by the stubborness of Mae and her yes-men and that he had been humiliated so thoroughly by a woman who had seen through his ruse, stormed out of the council meeting to cool off. While pondering his options outside, he met with a wandering necromancer who introduced himself as Drakon. The necromancer explained that he wanted to side with the Rebels after Queen Shyla Locken, the late king's heir, had scarred his face into the horrific form it was now in. Although Yoshimuriko was initially surprised that the young and sheltered queen would do something as awful as that, he brushed the thoughts aside while Drakon enthusiastically stated that Yoshimuriko was a man fit to be the leader of the Rebels and that Mae was preventing his rise to glory. Drakon had lied about his treatment, however, and in truth he and Shyla had never crossed paths, but he wanted to persuade Yoshimuriko to take action as he saw in the Red Dragon a means to to advance his agenda. Drakon's slithery words of admiration and goading Yoshimuriko to take action resonated in the general's troubled mind, and the two decided to discuss matters in private without others in the city snooping in. By the time they got into Yoshimuriko's apartment, however, they found Mae there waiting for them. Mae, wanting to avoid further conflict among her officers, had decided to confront Yoshimuriko in private and put him back in his place. Although Mae acted with good intentions and sought out a diplomatic means to end the growing rivalry between him and Yoshimuriko, she had chosen the worst time to meet with the Red Dragon who, thanks in part to Drakon's manipulations, had had enough of her. In a fit of anger, the general unsheathed his broadsword and slew the leader of the Rebels then and there, catching Mae completely off guard. When Yoshimuriko finally regained his senses and realized what he had done, Drakon was already one step ahead of him. The necromancer suggested that they frame a local troublemaker, Sigurd who had shown fighting moves which Drakon had recognized belonging to a former member of the Libaterran army, as a Loyalist assassin. That way they would hit two birds with one stone: Yoshimuriko would not be implicated for the murder of a loved leader, and the Rebels would want to retaliate against the Loyalists for this so-called assassination. Thus Yoshimuriko, using the people's anger, could rise as the new leader of the Rebels and spread the flames of war now that Mae, the greatest obstacle to his plans, was out of the way. After all these long years of tension, Yoshimuriko's chance encounter with the ambitious necromancer had finally given him the chance to proceed with his far-reaching plans. The Libaterran Civil War had begun in earnest at long last. Victories and Setbacks More info later. Godslayer Era Forming the Coalition 11 years after the Cataclysm, Yoshimuriko was present in Trinity Gask where a meeting that would decide the fate of Libaterra took place. Simon, a member of a cult known as the Totenkopfs, had arrived with the Proninist general Boris Ivanov after the Proninists' defeat in the Second Battle of Maar Sul. Simon and Ivanov met with Glaurung Losstarot, a charismatic knight who had risen as the leader of the renewed Rebels after the Great War, and successfully negotiated a deal with her to form a counterforce to the Grand Alliance: a fellowship of united factions which would become known as the Crimson Coalition. The triumvirate managed to spark the interest of Kamelith, lord of the Dark Elves, as well as Yoshimuriko who was still leading the Clergy of Nergal. With their blessing, the Coalition was founded and became a force to be reckoned with. After lengthy discussions, the war council decided to focus from the Maar Sulais front, which now had backing from the Grand Alliance, to the Libaterran front. They would either persuade or subjugate the still neutral cities of Central and Northern Libaterra to join their cause, and then they would focus their attentions on what Glaurung had set her eyes on: Alent, formerly known as Lutherin, which was now ruled by the Council of Mages who had taken over the ruined capital at the end of the Great War. More info later. Clash of the Titans While giving last orders to the clerics of Nergal before the Crimson Coalition would begin its final push against Alent, Yoshimuriko and his men saw a demon appearing on a felsteed in their midst. The demon warrior introduced herself as Azazel the Red Queen and announced that she had sensed a great power among the soldiers and wanted that power for herself. She had set her eyes on Yoshimuriko, the High Cleric of Nergal, and claimed that Nergal had sent her to test his mettle in battle. Although many of the clerics became downright terrified by the sight of the grisly demon, Yoshimuriko calmly ordered his men to proceed with their mission while he led Azazel to the side where they could duel without interruptions. The Red Dragon called the Red Queen's bluff, explaining how Nergal would never send a demon, creatures that he despised, to test his High Cleric. Azazel admitted to lying to Yoshimuriko to disorient him, and the two began their clash in earnest. The battle was even for much of its length despite Yoshimuriko being an aged man compared to Azazel who was a greater demon growing in power. He forced the Red Queen on the defensive at times, making her come to view him as a worthy opponent as a result. The battle, while surprising, made Yoshimuriko feel alive in a way he hadn't felt in a long while. He finally felt he had met an opponent worth his time, and he had the pleasure of facing such an opponent during what could very well be the greatest battle that had ever been waged in Libaterra in his lifetime. Ultimately Azazel proved to be too much even for the High Cleric of Nergal to face. However, despite receiving fatal wounds in the duel, Yoshimuriko wasn't quite done with the demon yet. Nergal himself decided to intervene, taking over Yoshimuriko's dying body to test whether Azazel, who claimed to desire the mantle of High Cleric for herself, would be a fitting successor to the Red Dragon and if she could truly have what it took to turn the clergy into the mightiest clergy ever to exist. Death After a fierce battle, Azazel managed to defeat Yoshimuriko who had been possessed by the God of War although she did so within an inch from losing her life. Nergal conceded that Azazel's determination and desire for war was sufficient and gifted her with Apocalypse, the sword that only the High Cleric of Nergal would be allowed to wield. Azazel, after realizing she had won, mentioned off-hand that for a human Yoshimuriko had fought well: the greatest compliment from one warrior to another. Yoshimuriko heard the new High Cleric's words Aliases and Nicknames ; Commander of the Rebels : His title as the former leader of the Rebels. ; High Cleric of Nergal : His title in the clergy. ; Red Dragon : A nickname given to him due to his ability to control flames. Appearance An old, grizzled, tall and muscular man with grey hair and beard wearing the dark blue armor of the Clergy of Nergal. He has a purple cape, signifying his rank, but what he deems more important are the many prominent scars on his face from the hundreds of battles he has fought in. The look in his eyes is cold and stern but they're not without humour if given a chance. Personality and Traits Yoshimuriko cared little about authority and only listened to his higher commands when it was needed. He was older, and viewed himself as more intelligent and more powerful than any other high-ranking officers he interacted with. He was not about to be told what to do by people he considered his lessers. He was calculating and ruthless, willing to seize an opportunity to ensure victory if he saw it. However, he did respect his soldiers and admired their loyalty to him, wanting to make them the best warriors that had ever roamed Libaterra. As the high cleric of Nergal he was less religious than his predecessors, however; he preferred a direct approach of fighting a war and making his reputation spread farther than actually fully commit himself to all the tenets of the God of War although he did use Nergal's name for propaganda purposes to rally the clerics behind him. Despite this apparent lack of reverence for the god he was supposed to serve, he nevertheless helped spread war and turned out to be one of the most successful high clerics of Nergal for that reason alone. Powers and Abilities He was an expert at wielding a broadsword. Innate Ability: Yoshimuriko could control flames to do his bidding, hence his nickname as the Red Dragon. He lost his ability after the Cataclysm. Relationships Azazel Drakon Endoran L'Sarius Mae Torazo Nergal See also *Apocalypse *Clergy of Nergal *Drakon *Endoran L'Sarius *Fastholf d'Armagnac *Mae Torazo Category:Characters Category:Clergy of Nergal Category:Crimson Coalition Category:Humans Category:Libaterra Category:Rebels Category:Third Age